Most Turkish people might have known Thessaloniki so far merely as the town where Kemal Ataturk was born in. Turkish Airlines aims now at changing this one-sided knowledge by enriching it with their knowledge and experience of the beauty of Northern Greece and the hospitality of its people.
“In cooperation with unions and bodies in Thessaloniki, the Turkish aviation company plans to reveal to its passengers the beauties of several areas in Northern Greece, such as the city of Kavala, Mount Olympus, the peninsula of Chalkidiki, the city of Komotini, the ski-centre of Kaimaktsalan” said chief executive of Turkish Airlines in Thessaloniki Mr. Utku Yazan.
Moreover, Mr. Yazan stressed out that Turkish Airlines are organizing a series of familiarity trips – fam trips – for both Turkish and other ethnicity journalists and tourist agents, in order to demonstrate and prove of the services advertised.
“Turkish Airlines do not only wish to carry passengers and merchandise but a sense of cooperation, culture, art and language from the areas included in their flying schedule” said Mr. Yazan.
Since May 2011, Istanbul-Thessaloniki flights have carried more than 30.000 passengers to their destinations, with 40% of them being Greek, 20% Turkish and the rest 40% being of other ethnic origin.
The complement of the line reached 70% during summer, while at the moment is has witnessed a slight fall at 60%. Turkish Airlines want now to proceed with establishing a daily line connecting the two cities by the end of March 2012, which will raise their complement rates at 80%. Until today, Thessaloniki-Istanbul flights are planned as 4 flights per week.
According to Mr. Yazan, it is of great importance that 65% of the total number of passengers is using the flights to move between the two cities and the rest 35% is only visiting the two cities’ airports in order to continue its journey to other destinations, such as the USA, other Asian countries, China and Bangkok.
Within the framework of the Cooperation and Mutual Understanding memorandum signed between Turkish Airlines and the Union of Hotel Owners of Thessaloniki, the aviation company will offer from December 1, 2011, until the end of March 2012, a 20% discount to those passengers choosing to stay in Thessaloniki. In addition, the company has decided to take part in the tourist expos of Smyrna (8-11 December 2011) and Istanbul (9-12 February 2012).
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